Gravity-dependence of subjective visual vertical variability

Abstract

The brain integrates sensory input from the otolith organs, the semicircular canals, and the somatosensory and visual systems to determine self-orientation relative to gravity. Only the otoliths directly sense the gravito-inertial force vector and therefore provide the major input for perceiving static head-roll relative to gravity, as measured by the subjective visual vertical (SVV). Intra-individual SVV variability increases with head roll, which suggests that the effectiveness of the otolith signal is roll-angle dependent. We asked Show more